Andrean went to Gary West Side on Tuesday night, and used big games from Ben Jones and Nick Flesher to beat the Cougars.

Playing without Gabe Gillespie, Darrell Snyder filled in and scored the first two buckets of the game for Andrean. He then assisted Ben Jones on the next possession. Behind Snyder, Andrean was off to a quick start. West Side attacked the lane on the other end. Mason Nicholson, Nasaiah King, and Parion Roberson scored in the paint. It was a clean, crisp first quarter as both teams scored at will.

After one quarter, it was tied at 20. The scoring slowed in the second, but there still weren’t many fouls or missed shots. To that point, Ben Jones went 3-3 from three-point range in the first half for 13 points. On the other side, Parion Roberson went 5-5 from the field for 14 points.

The game was tied at half time, but Andrean started the second half like it started the game. Nicholson scored inside for Gary West Side then the 59ers ran off eight straight points. It was a balanced attack with Jones and Flesher leading the way. A three-pointer by Flesher pushed Andrean’s lead to nine late in the period.

West Side didn’t stay down for long. The Cougars closed the third quarter with a three-pointer from Quimari Peterson and a paint score from Nicholson. Andrean was up 49-45 heading to the fourth quarter.

To begin the fourth, Eric Goodes stepped into a three and buried it. Near the midway point of the stanza, Snyder scored to put Andrean up 59-49. It looked like Andrean was ready to ice the game away with just over two minutes left, but Peterson hit another three for West Side. After Andrean missed the front end of a bonus, Parion Roberson scored to make it a four-point game.

Andrean’s free throw shooting back a concern when Flesher also missed the front end of the bonus, and Isreal Hines scored on the other end to make it a two-point game. With under minute to play, Dahmian Cundiff made a free throw for Andrean before missing the second.

Down three, Peterson grabbed a West Side miss and was fouled. He made both free throws to pull the Cougars within one.

Once again, free throw shooting bit Andrean. Up one, Ben Jones missed both free throws. On the ensuing West Side possession, Peterson found a rolling Nicholson, and he was fouled. This time, it was West Side's turn to miss both free throws.

After West side fouled, Flesher stepped up to make two free throws. Now down three and in a hurry, Peterson missed a three, but Nicholson put back the miss. With four seconds left, Flesher again made both free throws for Andrean.

On the final possession, Parion Roberson had a decent look from 25 feet, but it was too long.

Andrean won 66-63.

Ben Jones had 20 to lead Andrean. Nick Flesher recorded 18. Darrell Snyder scored 10, and Deshon Burnett had seven. Eric Goodes had six.

For West Side, Parion Roberson had 18 points. Mason Nicholson had 16 points and 11 rebounds. Quimari Peterson ended with 12 points. Paris Roberson added nine.